Melissa Catt BVSc MACVSc (feline)
graduated from the University of Sydney in
1990, nominatively destined to become a cat veterinarian. She worked in
Adelaide and the UK for a number of years before coming back to Sydney,
where she and Randolph started Paddington Cat Hospital in 1997 (their
first 'baby').

Melissa enjoys all aspects of veterinary practice, and has a particular
liking for surgery. Working with cats only is very rewarding
as she has an affinity for this species, and it is a relatively new
area of research and information. She has owned cats since a child, and
currently shares her life with Pushkin, Jake and Peg (as well as 4
goldfish).

Her
other (human) children are Elizabeth and Amelia, who have inherited
their love of animals, and cats in particular, from both their parents.
In her rare spare time, Melissa loves to read, cook and attend ballet
class.

Melissa
is our mediarepresentative.
She answers question from the public in each issue of 'Urban Animal'
and has appeared on 'Creature Feature' and 'Playschool' on ABC
television.

Randolph
Baral BVSc MACVSc (feline) graduated from the
University of Sydney in 1991. In the first few years of his veterinary
career, he worked part-time while pursuing a career as a professional
triathlete. In 1997, he started Paddington Cat Hospital with his wife,
Melissa Catt.

Randolph’s interests in feline practice focus on internal
medicine and he achieved Membership of the Australian College of
Veterinary Scientists for feline medicine in 2001. Particular interest
areas are the manifestations and causes of hypertension, diabetes
mellitus (particularly transient diabetes) and lipid metabolism
disorders as well as infectious diseases.

For the last four years, Randolph has been an official consultant on
Feline Internal Medicine board of VIN (Veterinary Information Network)
a worldwide internet group where veterinarians seek advice and discuss
cases.

She
was first inspired to
become a vet when she was six and had a neighbour's little dog lick her
fingers. This obsession grew steadily and she started volunteering at
clinics
at the age of sixteen, and when she started vet school, she was over
the moon.
Things went from good to great when her life changed directions as a
student,
working as a kennelhand at a clinic,
where she found herself getting
increasingly attracted to cats.

Upon
graduation, she started out as a dog and cat veterinarian, where she
enjoyed seeing kittens, puppies, birds, pocket pets and other types of
wildlife. These days, she still holds an interest in a wide range of
animals,
but delights in seeing various fluffy cats at work.

She
is now the proud owner
of a small apartment, several pairs of cat earrings and a boyfriend. In
turn,
she is owned by her gorgeous ginger DMH boy, who thinks that it's his
right to
be fed every 30 minutes, even if food doesn't materialise.

Anita Comyn BVSc (hons)
graduated from the University of
Queensland in 1999. She started work in a large mixed practice in the
Hunter Valley. After two and a half years,the
prospect of more midnight
calvings lost its allure so
she headed
to England for 2 years. She travelled through a lot of Europe and
worked in a number of small animal practices in London, Leeds and
Basingstoke. She even met one of the Queens Corgis in Windsor!

Anita returned
home to Sydney where she worked with dogs and cats in the Inner West
for a few years before following her heart to feline
practice.
She commenced
at Paddington Cat Hospital in March 2007

Anita and her husband
have three fur children: “Oscar”,
“Calvin” and “Jake”,
all
moggies of around 8 years of age, with very different personalities.
She is kept fairly busy treating their urinary issues, inflammatory
bowel disease and aggression.

Anita has just completed a Post Graduate
course in Feline medicine
with the University of Sydney
and is now
studying towards Memebrship
of the Australian College for feline medicine. Anita enjoys travelling, adventure sports and
yoga.

Anita had a beautiful boy, Benjamin, in June 2008 and is currently
working intermittently around motherhood.

Stephanie – Nurse -
Originally from Christchurch, New Zealand, Steph wanted to work with animals before she even started school. She started out volunteering at the RSPCA on the weekends during high school
and working in veterinary clinics as a nurse since she was 18.

Steph had her fair share of pets growing up, including cats, dogs, fish, ferrets and chickens, but is loving being able to tend exclusively to the needs of cats.

She is currently being bossed around by her well travelled kitty, Tigerlily,
who is also enjoying the change in scenery and weather in New South Wales.

Helen
- Nurse - is owned by
her three cats: Urga, a 7 year old male blue point Himalayan; May, a 2
year old Female naughty tortie; and Cheeky Teddy, a 10 month old male
tabby whom she adopted from the Cat Adoption program run by Paddington
Cat Hospital.

After
more than 10
years in the retail industry, Helen decided that Veterinary Nursing was
for her and completed her Veterinary Nursing Certificate IV
course in 2005.

In her
spare time
Helen enjoys gardening and attending to her cats’ every whim
and need. “It’s great working in a cat-only
practice. Life is fantastic, I’m surrounded by cats at home
and at work.”

Victoria – Nurse - Paddington Cat Hospital’s first nurse, Victoria joined the hospital in December 1996. Working as a full time vet nurse for about 8 years, she left to pursue a different interest. However, she couldn’t stay away, and returned in 2007 to be a part time nurse.

Her life is currently being controlled by her two cats, Elsa and Theo Montgomery. Elsa is very independent and stays out of trouble, but Theo keeps Victoria busy with his various ailments.

In what little spare time she has, Victoria makes sure that the clinic cats are comfortable and sits in the sun with them.

Gabriella – Nurse -
Gabby is currently completing her Veterinary Nursing Certificate IV and her Bachelor of Science (Biology) at the University of Sydney. She has always wanted to be a vet since a young age and is hoping to be accepted into Veterinary Science for 2015.

Gabby works weekends and ensures our boarding guests are clean, comfortable, well fed and entertained. She has a particular interest in behaviour and has a knack for calming our more temperamental patients.

At home, Gabby is loved by her family of 6 and her 14 year old ginger cat, Percy.

Michael – Nurse -
Michael is currently studying Veterinary Science at the University of Sydney, and is embracing every opportunity to work with cats on weekends.
He is the proud owner of a little grey ball of fluff, Pepper, a stray kitten who he happily adopted just before joining the team at Paddington Cat Hospital.

Michael has always been passionate about all animals great and small, and says becoming a vet will be a dream come true.

Apart from work and study, Michael is an avid musician who loves to perform (lucky for the boarding cats!) and participate in equestrian sports such as show jumping and dressage.

Sarah -
Nurse - first started work in a
veterinary clinic when she was 14 as a kennel hand. Since then she has
completed her training at Unitec in Auckland, and worked in a practice
in Auckland for eleven years. At her previous clinic they treated all
sorts of animals, cats, dogs, ferrets, birds, rabbits, guinea pigs and
even the odd sheep!

Sarah has moved to Sydney to be with her partner and is busily making
Sydney her home!

She had three cats and a dog that now live with her mother in New
Zealand as they don’t like to travel. A very special 18 year
old called Smidgen, a gorgeous Siamese called Roger, a super Whippet
named Wobble and a very naughty Oriental called Judas!! She is looking
forward to finding some new pussycat friends to live with her here.

Sarah has a special interest in our older kitties, and loves to hear
stories of their exploits!

In her spare time she loves to dance, go for walks, do yoga and read
stories about…you guessed it, CATS!

Roxanne
- Nurse - has moved
from New
Zealand, where she was born and raised in a small country town, to work
in
London, and then to Sydney, incorporating her joy of travelling with
her job.

Back in NZ, she finds
friendly company in her two pet sheep, a horse, a
rabbit
and a golden retriever, aside from spending time with her family.

Here
in
Sydney, she feeds her craving for a cat by cuddling and
petting all those
that walk through the door of the clinic.

In her spare time, Roxy
samples the
delights of Sydney life by hitting the beach and horse riding in the
Summer
months, while huddling indoors for hot chocolate and shopping when the
cold
weather hits.

Roxanne is currently on extended leave and will be very missed here at the hospital by the staff, the clients and their kitties.
We are all hoping she will return to work in the next few months!